


Kingpin (2006)

by JennyB



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Denial of Feelings, Flirting, Gangs, M/M, Sexual Tension, Unrequited Crush, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-02-27
Updated: 2006-02-27
Packaged: 2018-01-22 02:34:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1572947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JennyB/pseuds/JennyB
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After losing something important to Kaiba, Joey wishes for the power to be on an equal footing with him.  But, things don't turn <br/>out exactly as he had imagined.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

"Give it to me."

"No."

"You had a choice, and now you owe me," the low tenor purred dangerously. "Now hand it over."

Glowering, the blond hissed, "You can't make me!"

"The hell I can't!" 

In a flash, Joey found himself pinned roughly against a locker, Seto Kaiba's face mere inches from his, a smug smirk on his lips. The blond squirmed; not because it was a particularly unpleasant place to be, but under the circumstances… He struggled vainly to get away, but the effort was futile. Kaiba's grip was unyielding, and the more Joey struggled, the tighter the brunet's fingers seemed to grip his wrists. And now, it was starting to hurt. "Fuck! Let me go, you asshole!"

"Not until you give me what you owe me," he drawled, his sapphire eyes glinting with malevolent pleasure.

"Kaiba, come on! It's not like you need it…" Joey whined. He saw Kaiba's smirk widen, and he sighed heavily. He was so screwed.

"It's not a question of need, Wheeler. You were the one shooting your mouth off, you were stupid, and you lost. End of story."

The blond dropped his gaze in humiliation. Kaiba was right, of course. It _had_ been his arrogance that had been his downfall, and now, as was his right, the brunet was collecting what had been promised him. How could he have been so wrong? Stilling himself, he thought back over the past couple of weeks.

* * *

Joey shared last period gym with Kaiba, and with the nice weather, the class was currently doing long-distance running. While the teacher, Mr. Stevenson, maintained that it was a viable part of the curriculum, the students speculated that he used the time to either drink Scotch from the flask he kept in the top centre drawer of his desk, or to hit on the female students. For the past two weeks, the class had been instructed to run laps for fifty minutes, and Joey, an accomplished runner, soon noted that he _always_ beat the brunet. To add insult to injury, at the end of the period, the blond would always gloat about his victory, even going so far as to proclaim loudly to the change room yesterday: "Kaiba runs like old people fuck – slow, sloppy, and makes you wonder how it's possible." He had expected the brunet to react; at the very least, toss out some sort of scathing comeback, _especially_ when the other students burst into laughter. But instead, he had merely given Joey this wicked smile, finished up what he had needed to do, and left. After that, the blond had considered the issue closed, and had thought nothing more about it.

And Kaiba _didn't_ say anything about it, either. Not even when he approached Joey that afternoon while they were getting ready to run. Casually leaning against the opposite wall, his arms folded loosely across his chest, he merely gazed down at the blond, the same, cold smile on his lips. 

It took Joey a moment to notice him, but when he did, he looked up in momentary surprise before letting his eyes slowly rove across the svelte form before him. Smirking, he asked, "Looking for some advice?"

"From you? I don't think so," he replied evenly, his tone devoid of all expression.

The blond's face slowly broke into a wide grin, and as he got to his feet, he made a big show of stretching lithely. Giving the brunet a lecherous wink, he said, "Oh. Then you must like what you see and you decided to come over for a better look. Can't say I blame you."

Rolling his eyes, Kaiba snorted, "Grow up."

"So, you don't want advice, and you're not here to ogle my fine form. What the fuck _do_ you want, Kaiba?"

"I just wanted to let you know that today, I'm going to hand you your ass on a plate."

The blond stared at him for a moment in disbelief, and then burst into laughter. "Are you fucking for real? Have you _not_ watched me lap your sorry ass every day?"

"I'm serious," the brunet responded calmly. "I just want you to be prepared when I humiliate you, like always."

Still sniggering, Joey closed his locker and taunted, "Kaiba, if you can beat me, I'll give you my Red Eyes."

At this, Kaiba arched an intrigued brow. "Agreed."

"What?" the blond exclaimed. "I wasn't being serious!"

"You threw the offer out, and I accepted it. What's wrong, Wheeler, not so confident any more?"

"Fuck you, I'm not scared!" Joey shouted defensively. " _Fine_. If you beat me, then it's yours. Not that I really have to worry. I mean, it's not like you can get better by reading a book or something." He extended his hand, making a point to squeeze as hard as he could when the brunet returned the handshake.

"Great. See you out there, Loser." Turning on his heel, he headed outside, ignoring the incredulous looks from his classmates.

As usual, after Mr. Stevenson had instructed them to run laps, he promptly disappeared back inside the school, leaving them to more or less police themselves. A few of the students began their assignment, but the vast majority, being more interested in the competition between Kaiba and Joey, settled themselves in various positions on the infield to watch the events unfold. 

The blond felt a little nervous when he saw Kaiba just standing on the track, patiently waiting for him to begin. He glanced over at his peers, who were all watching expectantly, and with false bravado, he quipped, "You want me to give you a head start, Rich Boy?"

"No. I'd hate for you to think that I had some sort of unfair advantage when all is said and done."

"Suit yourself," Joey grunted, moving to stand beside the brunet and then nodding to Sebastian Blake to give them the signal to start.

The scrawny, blond boy moved to stand in front of them and raised his arms over his head. "Ok, twenty-five laps, first one done wins. On your marks, get set…GO!" He dropped his arms and both teens started running.

After about half a lap, Joey noticed that the brunet was seriously lagging behind him, and he began to relax, quickly settling into his rhythm and smiling cockily. Certain that victory was his, he barely noticed the slight movement in his peripheral vision. He gave a cursory glance to the side, and nearly stumbled in surprise when he saw Kaiba next to him. The brunet said nothing; he merely waggled his eyebrows smugly as he fell into step with the other. Growling low in his throat, Joey found it maddening that the other teen was easily keeping pace with him and, by the time he started his last lap, the blond was at a full-out sprint. He was rounding the final turn, heading for the finish line, when he saw Kaiba give him an arrogant smirk and a small wave before surging ahead, beating Joey by a good ten feet.

"You son-of-a-bitch!" Joey snarled, partially doubled over and panting breathlessly. "You've been dogging it all along, haven't you?"

"Hn. You _would_ know about dogging it…Mutt."

"Get bent, Kaiba," Joey scowled. " _Why_ the fuck would you do that?"

The brunet shrugged. "Because I can? Because I really don't give a shit about this worthless class? Because I have better things to do than have the track coach hounding me about competing for him? Who the hell knows; pick one." He turned toward the school when he heard the bell ring and, when he once again met the blond's gaze, he gave him a malicious grin. "Don't go too far, Wheeler. I have a prize to claim."

Joey blanched and felt his blood turn to ice. In his amazement, he'd forgotten all about his and Kaiba's bet. He waited until the brunet had gone back inside, and then, while everyone else was showering and changing, he laid low in the bathroom. Once he was sure that he was alone, he took his time washing and dressing, and then crept quietly out into the corridor. The school was practically deserted, save for the unfortunate few who were stuck in detention. Sighing in relief when he realized he'd bought himself at least a day to figure out what he was going to do, he headed for the front door, only to have the tall, lithe brunet step out from a side hallway and block his path, the tiniest hint of a smirk on his face. 

"I'll give you credit," Kaiba purred silkily. "It was a nice try, attempting to trick me into thinking you'd left, but like everything else you do, you just…fell short."

* * *

Joey cursed softly as he tried one last tactic to weasel his way out of his obligation. His eyes still downcast, he murmured, "Kaiba, _please_. You have no idea how much that card means to me."

Kaiba arched a brow at him, his eyes narrowed slightly in amusement. "If it meant that much to you, you would not have been so cavalier about offering it up as a prize in a stupid bet. Haven't you learned yet that you shouldn't wager something you can't afford to lose? It's a tough lesson for you, I'm sure, but perhaps it will keep you from being so rash and impulsive in the future. Now, I'm starting to lose my patience. Give me the damned card." All traces of humour vanished from the brunet's expression, leaving no doubt that he was through toying with the other teen.

Joey sighed heavily and nodded his head imperceptibly, finally accepting the fact that there was no way out of his predicament. He felt Kaiba release his hold, and he winced inwardly at the slight bruising he saw on his wrists, refusing to meet the brunet's gaze as he retrieved his precious Red Eyes from his deck and handed it over. "This whole thing, it was a mistake," Joey said quietly.

" _You_ are a mistake," the brunet replied as he took the card, a self-satisfied laugh escaping him as he picked up his briefcase and turned toward the door.

"Can I at least have the pieces back after you rip it up?" Joey called after him, his voice slightly tremulous.

Kaiba stopped and glanced over his shoulder at the blond. "Who says I'm going to rip it up?" His gaze lingered on the dejected teen, and as a dark smile slowly curved his lips upwards, he turned completely and said, "I have much bigger plans for this particular card. See, Wheeler, now I have a way to control you. I know how badly you want this back, and how you're going to want to challenge me for it. Be a good boy, don't irritate me, and after a while, I'll let you have a shot at it. Piss me off, and I won't rip it up – I'll burn it." He chuckled cruelly when he saw the horrified expression on the blond's face. "But for now, I'll keep it safe. Of that, you have my word." 

"You're such an asshole, Kaiba!" Joey fumed. "God, I wish just once I could wipe that smug, arrogant smirk off your face!"

"You do?" The brunet laughed maliciously as he fished around in the front pocket of his trousers and pulled out a coin. "Here then…if you believe in all that fairy tale shit, go make your wish. My treat." He flipped it to Joey with his thumb, and then turned his back to the blond, pausing briefly as he pushed the door open with his hip. "And Wheeler? Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it."

In stunned disbelief, Joey watched him leave, his eyes slowly narrowing as he felt a surge of anger well up inside of him. "Fucking _asshole_!" he shouted as he viciously threw the coin at the now-closed door, snatching his backpack from the floor and storming for the exit himself. As he approached the exit, he spied the small, copper disc resting just along the threshold, and even though he scowled at it, he suddenly found himself bending down to retrieve it. Clenching the penny tightly in his fist, he kicked the push-bar and strode out into the slowly waning afternoon.

As soon as he was outside, he slowed his pace, jamming his hands despondently into his pockets and allowing his thoughts to wander absently. As he meandered through the city in the general direction of his home, he took a turn into Domino Central Park. He watched several young children enjoying the early spring weather, laughing and squealing as they played on the jungle gym, and he smiled to himself. He could vaguely remember being that young and innocent, and with a wistful sigh, he continued on his way. In the centre of the park, he came upon a large, stone fountain. The maintenance personnel had not yet attended to the structure as the basin was still full of leaves and debris, and the fountainhead had yet to be turned on for the warmer season. He lightly fingered the coin resting in his pocket, and on a whim, he pulled it out, dexterously transferring the penny from one finger to the next as he stared at the algae laden water. "Well, Kaiba," he muttered aloud, "I'd hate to let your generosity go to waste." Closing his eyes, he held the coin tightly in his hand and whispered, "I wish…I wish that I had as much power as Seto Kaiba." He flicked the coin high into the air, the thin disc arcing lazily and breaking the surface of the water with a slight ripple. "Well, that was useless," he said softly. "Might as well go home."

He opened his eyes, suddenly in a panic as he glanced around the penthouse apartment he found himself standing in. He staggered slightly, only to feel two sets of hands reach out and grab him, waiting until he'd steadied himself before easing off.

"Sir, are you all right?" a deep, male voice asked, concern evident in his tone.

"I… _Sir_?" He caught a glimpse of himself mirrored in the large, patio window, and he stared. He was wearing a pair of slim fitting black cotton trousers, chunky black Oxfords, a black t-shirt and a black lambskin blazer. "What the fuck?" he murmured as he took a couple of steps towards the glass, hesitantly reaching out and touching his reflection. Save for a slight haunted look in his dark, amber eyes and a small, one-inch scar that ran just below his left eyebrow, he didn't really see anything out of the ordinary. Suddenly, he turned around and flashed a smile to the two men accompanying him. "I'm sorry, Klaus, Raymond. For a minute there, it seemed I forgot who I was." Joey approached the large aquarium that had been built into the wall dividing the living room from the kitchen, a sadistic grin spreading across his face as his beloved lionfish slowly approached the minnow he had thrown into the tank earlier, striking out and making the kill. "Tell me, are we on for tonight?"

"Yes, Sir. The meeting has been set for 6:00 tonight, just as you'd requested," Klaus said deferentially.

"Great," Joey replied. "Now leave me." He waited until the other two men had left, and then turned his attention back to the fish tank. "You hear that, Tristan?" the blond said as he pulled another minnow from a bowl and dropped it into the tank. "Tonight, we've got business with Seto Kaiba."


	2. Chapter Two

Joey Wheeler was dreaming. More correctly, he was dozing fitfully in a chair as the nightmare played out in his mind once more. He trembled slightly, tears forming behind his closed eyelids as he drew his feet up under him and curled tighter around himself, whimpering softly. It was always the same dream – he was almost sixteen years old, and was just starting to get some sort of order in his life. His gang days were behind him, and as he was entering high school, he was beginning to forge new friendships with Yugi Muto and his good friend, Tea Gardner. And, of course, Tristan was there. Tristan, his self-proclaimed brother and best friend since he'd been old enough to walk, was by his side, and Joey was finally happy. However, his joy was not meant to last. He had always suspected that his past would one day come back to haunt him, but he hadn't planned on having everything shattered, leaving him without his innocence and his soul.

* * *

The blond spat out a mouthful of blood as he defiantly got back to his feet, his amber eyes glittering with intense hatred. He glared first at the spike-haired brunet that had hit him, and then locked eyes with the tall, pony tailed, pale blond man in front of him. "Fuck you, Hirutani!" Joey hissed. "You're going to have to kill me, because I sure as hell am not going back!"

"Oh Joey, you're naïve and a fool," the older man purred maliciously as he roughly grasped Joey's chin in his hand, laughing darkly when he saw the smaller teen wince slightly. "The only reason you got out before was because I permitted it. You've had your time to run free, and now, I want you back. I _own_ you, remember?" Hirutani roughly shoved the young blond away from him and, turning his back to the other in a deliberate show of arrogance, he murmured, "I'm going to enjoy breaking you and then building you back up in whatever form I choose. So far, you haven't responded well to anything I've done to you sexually or physically…let's see how strong you are mentally." He snapped his fingers and immediately, a small, white-haired boy was at his side, smiling sycophantically up at him. "Go and get the `surprise' we've prepared for Joey. I think he's really going to get a kick out of it." The young toady nodded gleefully and took off into the back warehouse.

A few moments later, Joey's keen hearing picked up a faint squeaking sound, eerily similar to a shopping cart with one bad wheel. He swiped the back of his hand across his mouth and wiped the smear of blood absently on his pants, his eyes fixed on the darkened doorway. He frowned when he saw that two of the Rintama gang members were pushing a large engine hoist – the type one would use for a transport truck. He was about to ask Hirutani if he'd lost his mind when he saw Tristan. His friend had had his wrists and his ankles lashed together, and he was currently suspended from the lift by his wrist bindings. The boom was low enough that, if the stocky brunet had been able to walk, he would have been seriously stooped over. As it was, his knees were lightly skimming the ground, his shins and feet trailing unresponsively behind him. "The fuck?" Joey shouted. "You brought _Tristan_ into this?"

"I didn't just `bring him in', Joey," Hirutani laughed. "I let the boys have a bit of fun with him. And he was _so_ eager to please them, too; crying and moaning like a bitch." The pale blond slowly crossed over to the hoist and lightly stroked his fingers through the brunet's hair.

"Get your fucking hands off of him!" Joey screamed, lunging towards the other man only to get a knee to the gut from the same spike-haired brunet that had hit him earlier. Groaning, the blond dropped to his knees, clutching his stomach. "I'll kill you, you bastard," Joey growled lowly. "I'm going to kill you for this."

"Are you going to kill me, or Tristan, Joey?" Hirutani purred, chuckling when he saw the horrified expression on the smaller blond's face. "Oh, he isn't dead yet," he said matter-of-factly, his touches becoming more intimate, sensual. "But, if you don't get poor Tristan to a hospital soon, well, I'm afraid he probably isn't going to make it." A sadistic smile curved across Hirutani's lips and he crooked his finger, beckoning Joey over to him. "Come here and see what your defiance has cost you. Come here and look into the _true_ face of friendship." He fisted his hand in the brunet's hair and jerked his head up, allowing the other to see Tristan's face.

Joey, who had been slowly approaching, stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes growing impossibly wide and filling with tears. "Oh God…Tris…" A choked sob wracked through his body as he slowly sank to his knees, unable to tear his gaze away from the sight before him. Tristan's jaw had obviously been dislocated from a punch, and his one eye was so blackened and swollen that he couldn't open it. The rest of his face was one massive contusion, and there was so much congealed blood that Joey couldn't tell _where_ it was coming from. Trembling, Joey let his eyes drop lower, now taking in how his best friend was clad only in his blood-stained boxers. He could see heavy bruising on Tristan's arms, obviously from where the other gang members had held him down as they'd had their way with him, and large, angry, purple boot and fist marks were starting to surface on his ribs and sides. " _WHY_?" Joey cried out sorrowfully, the tiny, angry flame that had been burning in his eyes now swelling to a raging inferno.

Hirutani released his hold on Tristan, snorting in amusement when the brunet's head fell slack against his chest. "I _told_ you, Joey," he sneered, his eyes glinting with unspoken delight at the reaction he was getting. "I own you, and I'm prepared to do anything to get you back. And, if that means I have to kill off everyone you have any sort of attachment to `out there', I'll do it. By the time I'm through, you'll be fucking _begging_ me to take you back, _grateful_ that I'm so willing to give you the attention and affection you seem to crave." He pulled a switchblade knife from his pocket and, as he deftly flicked his wrist to expel the five-inch blade, he softened his voice and purred menacingly, "So…will you join me again, or do I slit poor Tristan's throat and let him bleed out like a gutted pig while I go gather up someone else to entice you?"

Joey couldn't help the tears that slowly trailed down his cheeks now. Hirutani was right; if he had just joined him when he'd first been asked, Tristan would never have been dragged into this. "If I agree, you'll let Tristan go?" When he heard the pale blond give his assent, he nodded stiffly, "Ok, Hirutani. I'll do it. Now let me get Tristan looked after." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the one hazel eye slit open, and even though it obviously pained him to do it, the brunet gave Joey a small smile. Laughing hysterically, Joey rushed to Tristan's side, carefully wrapping his arms around the other teen in a brotherly embrace, his shirt immediately staining crimson. "Come on, Hirutani, let him down!"

"Joey, don't…" Tristan rasped, coughing up some bloody foam and, unable to spit, letting it dribble slowly down his chin. "Promise me, Bro…Don't go back to him…"

"Ok, Tris, I promise. Shh, don't talk now. I'll get you to a hospital, and you'll be good as new, ok?" He gently patted the brunet on the cheek before hastily swiping once more at his own eyes. "Damn it! I said let him down!"

"Sure, Joey," Hirutani cooed, quickly slicing through the duct tape bindings that had secured Tristan to the hoist.

Gratefully, Joey caught the brunet in his arms, all the while murmuring gentle reassurances and apologies in his ear. Suddenly, Hirutani moved behind Tristan and, his lips curved up into a cruel sneer, he thrust the blade of his knife into the base of the brunet's skull, twisting once. Joey saw Tristan's good eye widen in shock as he went rigid, and felt the breath rush from his lungs, low and shuddering against his cheek before his body went limp. Frozen in disbelief, the blond stared at the older man, gaze questioning as fresh tears prickled the corners of his eyes.

"I told you I'd let him go, Joey. I never said I'd let him leave. That Mama's Boy right there makes you soft…Jesus, do you have any idea how pathetic you look right now, sitting there, fucking _crying_? You're supposed to be a tough guy, Joey. Not some worthless pansy. Now leave the stiff, and let's get going." He smirked smugly when the few other Rintama members in the room laughed and, as though to emphasize his point, he prodded Tristan's body with the toe of his boot.

"You _asshole_!" Joey shrieked, his eyes narrowing to hate-filled slits as he slowly let the brunet slide from his arms, his rage growing exponentially as he heard the titters of amusement from those around him. Something inside him snapped and, in one fluid movement, he yanked the knife free from Tristan's neck and launched himself at Hirutani, knocking the taller blond to the ground. Blinded by the need for vengeance, he kicked, punched and slashed at the other, knowing he would only stop when one of them was dead. The pale blond managed to retrieve a second knife from his jacket pocket and make a slash for his eyes. Fortunately, Joey was able to dodge at the last second, sparing his vision, but earning a deep gash just above his left eye instead. Crying out softly as the crimson fluid mixed with his sweat and ran into his eye, he landed a lucky kick that sent the knife spiralling from Hirutani's hand. He was aware of the other gang members closing in on him, and in a moment of necessity, he snagged the pale blond into a rough headlock, the tip of his blade pressed against his jugular. Immediately, Hirutani stilled, his hands held up in a gesture of surrender. "Tell them to back the fuck off," Joey hissed venomously in his ear as he glanced toward the three advancing henchmen.

"They'll just kill you later, you know," Hirutani said quietly, swallowing harshly as the point of the knife pressed a little harder against his skin.

"I don't give a shit," Joey growled, the blood from his wound dripping heavily onto Hirutani's leather jacket. "As long as you're dead, it doesn't matter."

"You're fucking crazy, I'll give you that," the pale blond replied as he made a motion with his hand to wave off his goons. "But, you won't kill me, Joey. You don't have it in you."

The shorter teen chuckled darkly. "Before you killed Tristan, I'd have agreed with you. But now…" He pressed his blade harder against the delicate flesh, his eyes glinting sadistically when he heard Hirutani's gasp and saw the dark fluid wicking along the steel. "Now all I want to do is feel your blood on my hands and watch as the life slips away from you, you fuck."

"Joey, please," Hirutani whispered. "You've made your fucking point, ok? You got me. I'll make you my number two…you've definitely earned it with this." He felt his skin crawl when Joey laughed – a cold, humourless laugh.

"Generous," the smaller blond purred silkily. "But you know what? Working for you won't avenge Tristan's death, and besides, if I did that, I'd be breaking my promise to him, wouldn't I?" He tightened his grip on the knife and slowly pressed it deeper into the other's throat, a demented grin breaking out across his face. "So, I got to thinking; why be number two when I can be number one?" In one quick motion, he drew the blade hard across the pale blond's throat, his grin widening when he saw the blood erupt in a wide, crimson arc from the gash, slowly pulsing his life away and onto the cement floor. Simultaneously pushing Hirutani to the floor and standing up, Joey glared at the gathered gang members and proclaimed, "You're either with me, or against me. And if you're against me, _that_ is your fate!" He gestured at the fallen form of their former leader with his bloodied knife. When no one moved, he smirked coldly, absently licking a crimson droplet from his finger. "Good. Now, first order of business – get this piece of shit out of here. And the rest of you can get the fuck out of my sight. I'll call you if I need you."

As soon as Hirutani's body had been taken away and the other gang members had left, Joey once again moved to where his fallen comrade lay. Kneeling down beside him, he pulled the lifeless form into his arms, wrapping his arms around the cool body and resting his head on top of the mussed, brunet tresses. "God, Tris…I'm so sorry," he murmured huskily. "I know you and Yugi and Tea have been trying to keep me on the straight and narrow, and it's been hard for me. Really hard… and after all that work, look what it cost me in the end, Bro. I know it's not really what you'd hoped I'd do, but I found something I'm good at."

* * *

Joey awoke with a start, pale and sweating. He brought a trembling hand up to wipe his brow, scowling when he felt the thin, wispy scar Hirutani had left him with. Still shaking, he made his way to the bathroom to splash some cool water on his face. Patting himself dry, he thought about how he'd gone to talk to Tristan's parents two days later, only to be met at the door by a furious Mrs. Taylor. 

"This is all _your_ fault, Joey!" she'd all but screamed at him, her eyes red from crying. Citing his past gang activity and Tristan's unwavering devotion to his best friend, she flung accusation after accusation at the blond, finally ending her tirade with, "And, because of you, my baby boy can't even have an open casket at his funeral!" A fresh wave of tears spilled down her cheeks as she whispered harshly, "You're not welcome there, either, Joey. If you show up, I'll make sure you're removed." Not waiting to hear an explanation, not even bothering to say good bye, she had promptly shut the door in his face.

"The bitch did, too," Joey muttered to his reflection, recalling the restraining order he'd been served with the very next day. With a disparaging snort, he recalled having to disguise himself with a cheap, brunet wig and a long, oversized trench coat in order to get close enough to the gravesite to witness the priest perform last rites. It disgusted him that he'd been forced to watch from a distance, unable to say a proper good-bye to the one he'd called `brother'. Returning to the living room, he fixed himself a glass of ice water and sank back down into his chair. Without Tristan to serve as a shield, Joey had struggled with his anger and bitterness, slowly growing colder and more distant, more emotionally detached from everyone around him. 

Even Yugi and Tea avoided him, now. For a while, they would constantly call and invite him over in an attempt to cheer him up. Soon, after repeated rejections, the calls slowed, and finally stopped. He was still on good terms with the two, although he suspected Tea didn't trust him. Not that he blamed her for that; he barely trusted himself. Still, despite the self-imposed alienation, he always imagined the four of them together. Whether it was a dream or some twisted reality he'd concocted for himself, sometimes he could see them sitting in school or hanging around in the park, and it all felt so real…like some sort of eerie déja vu. Some days he would find himself longing for that, wishing he could find a way out of the intricate criminal network he had woven around himself. But most of the time, he would dismiss it as useless and stupid, finding himself unjustifiably cross about the whole thing.

He heard a soft knock at his door, and when he answered it, he saw it was Marco, his father's `personal assistant'. Joey gave a contemptuous snort when the other man immediately dropped his gaze. There was only one reason why Marco _ever_ came to Joey, and that was when the blond's father, Dan Wheeler, needed more money. "What's his problem this time?" Joey sneered. 

The slight, mousey-haired man swallowed harshly. "He's out."

"Oh for fuck's sake!" Joey exploded, flinging the door open to admit Marco as he stormed over to a small wall safe. Irritably, he dialled the combination and pulled out a thousand dollars. Thrusting the bundle of bills into the other man's hand, he growled, "You tell him that if he blows that in a week, tough shit. I'm not here to bankroll his fucking habits. And, if he's got a problem with that, tell him Raymond is just _itching_ for a second visit."

The small brunet nodded nervously and quickly left, silently pulling the door shut behind him.

Joey stared waspishly at the now-closed door, silently fuming. He really didn't give a shit if his old man snorted, smoked or drank himself into an early grave. He hated the man with every fibre of his being, yet at the same time, he ensured that his father was taken care of. He'd set Dan up with an apartment of his own on the other side of Domino, and had immediately hired Marco to act as a buffer for the elder Wheeler's myriad indiscretions. Perhaps when he was of age, he'd rid himself of his `personal problem', but for the time being, he was content to pay his father's way, as long as he stayed out of his business.

Sinking back into his chair, he couldn't help the heartless smirk that curved across his lips when he recalled the last time his father had laid a hand on him. He had been quickly climbing through the ranks of the underworld, and when his father had beaten him one night in a drunken rage, he had crawled out the fire escape and hidden in an alley overnight, returning the next day with Raymond in tow. After the large, raven-haired man had beaten the stocky blond bad enough to earn him a one-week hospital stay, the relationship between the two Wheeler's had been much improved. Joey did what he felt like, and Dan stayed the hell out of his way, usually drunk or high in his apartment. It was sad, really. Joey had always loathed his father's lifestyle, and even though he still didn't care for the drug business, it had become a very lucrative part of his organization. Of course, he'd handed the running of it over to someone who _did _take a personal interest, his only stipulation being that he receive fifty per cent of the profits.__

Finishing off his drink, he let his eyes slowly drift across the posh penthouse he had acquired for himself. It had taken little more than two years to settle himself in as the alpha male among the various gangs, uniting them into one, efficient syndicate. Ruling with a hard heart and an iron fist, Joey was slow to trust and quick to punish, eliminating those with wavering loyalties swiftly and with brutal efficiency. Failure was not tolerated, and the blond had proven himself to be surprisingly merciless and calculatingly ruthless as the situation warranted. No one dared challenge him, and even local law enforcement officers and high-ranking politicians turned a blind eye to his activities. Of course, it paid to provide certain…monetary dispensations, too.

He was pulled from his musing by another knock on the door, but this time, the blond did not answer. Admitting himself, Klaus made his way into the living room and nodding reverently, he stated, "Sir, it's 5:30. Your car is waiting."

Wordlessly, the blond got to his feet and followed his stocky bodyguard to his waiting limo. Reclining back against the soft leather, he permitted a smile to cross his face as he thought about Seto Kaiba. No matter how closed off he made himself to the rest of the world, he always felt a tiny bit of warmth creep into his heart and settle around his soul whenever he saw the striking brunet. Even in his other memories, the ones where Tristan was still alive, he felt a small flutter in his stomach whenever Kaiba would enter the room. And it was the strangest thing – the brunet could irritate the hell out of him like no other person on earth, and yet, no matter how many times he may have thought it, he could never bring himself to call for a hit to be placed on him. In fact, he'd declared Kaiba and his holdings to be off-limits to anyone but himself. His smile widened. Kaiba was lucky that he liked him; maybe even more than liked him. And he definitely wanted him. But, he wasn't deluded enough to tell himself that he loved him. He didn't love anything, and the only thing he cared about was a pet fish named after his best friend.

He felt the car stop and, just before he got out, he quickly tousled his hair and then finger-combed it. His eyes glinting mischievously, he stepped from the car and headed for the KaibaCorp building. As soon as he, Klaus and Raymond went inside, they were met by security. After a brief pat down, they were escorted to the elevators and accompanied to the ninety-sixth floor. The guard stopped in front of a set of highly polished, stainless steel doors and made a call on his radio. After a moment, the guard voiced an affirmative and beckoned Joey to him.

"Your men stay outside. Those are Mr. Kaiba's orders."

"Fine," Joey replied with a careless wave of his hand. Nodding to his two escorts, he opened one of the doors and stepped into Kaiba's office. He smiled when he saw the tall brunet silhouetted against the large plate glass window, the rapidly waning daylight bathing him in brilliant magentas and violets. "Greetings, _Mr. Kaiba_ ," Joey purred flirtatiously, a secret thrill running through him when he saw the brunet tense, knowing damn well that Kaiba hated it when he was addressed in such a falsely patronizing manner.

"Wheeler," Kaiba replied tersely.

The blond grinned. It was rare that he was addressed by name at all; tonight was going to be a good night. "How are you, Seto?" he asked, his grin widening when the other teen turned and scowled at him. If Kaiba hated condescension, he _loathed_ the casual familiarity. "I'm a bit disappointed you wanted to meet here."

"This isn't a social call, it's business," the brunet snapped. "I'm half surprised they didn't confiscate a small cache of weapons from you and your entourage."

"Oh Seto," Joey murmured, "I would never bring weapons into your house…that would just be rude." He slowly let his gaze travel over the slender form in front of him, drinking in the fitted, black suit and red silk tie. Crossing the room, he fluidly dropped into one of the leather visitor's chairs and narrowed his eyes slightly, a sensual smirk on his lips. "How's my Red Eyes, by the way?"

"Safe. As promised." Kaiba seated himself behind his desk and stared intently at the blond, his sapphire eyes unusually dark, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Hn…good," Joey replied. It irked him to no end that Kaiba was in possession of his card. The brunet had done a favour for him at one time and, as a show of good faith, he had `loaned' the other teen his card until such time as the favour could be repaid. Unfortunately, Kaiba had been deliberately reticent as far as settling up with him. It was almost as though he derived some form of perverse pleasure in the fact that he possessed something so coveted by the blond. "So," he drawled, leaning back in his chair and drawing up one leg, resting the ankle on the opposite knee. "I assume you know why I'm here?"

"I have an idea," Kaiba replied coolly, resting his elbows on the desktop and pressing his fingers together. "But please, enlighten me."

Joey smirked. "Two words: Battle City. You're holding it in _my_ town. That means I need some…compensation for the pain in the ass it's going to cause me."

The brunet arched a dubious eyebrow. "Is that so? How much `compensation'?"

Giving the other teen a decidedly shark-like grin, he said, "Normally, I'd ask for fifty percent of your net profits, but because it's you, I'll settle for thirty-five. Thirty if you give me some other `fringe benefit'." He gave the other teen a lecherous wink.

Sapphire eyes widened imperceptibly, and then Kaiba let out an incredulous bark of laughter. "Are you _joking_?" he demanded. "You _must_ be joking, because that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!"

"Well, if you'd rather, you can give me back my Red Eyes and we'll call it even. I'll need it for when I duel in your tournament."

"No. I think I'll hang on to it for a while yet. Besides, you're not in my tournament." He grinned cruelly. "I only want worthwhile competitors."

The blond chuckled darkly and let the barb slide. "You may not have _invited_ me, but that doesn't mean I won't be playing. And I'd reconsider if I were you."

"Well, you're not me." It was Kaiba's turn to smirk at the slightly affronted expression on Joey's face.

The amber gaze hardened slightly. "Fine, Kaiba…you want to play hardball? Let's fucking play." All pretence of civility vanished with the use of the brunet's last name. Slowly getting to his feet, he placed both of his palms on the polished mahogany of the desk and leaned his weight forward, his eyes locked on the brunet's, a low, warning growl rumbling in his throat. "You have until the opening of your tourney tomorrow to either give me my Red Eyes or agree to pay me. If you don't, any duellist I find on my turf – and I don't give a _fuck_ who they are – I will personally `remove from play' with a 9mm to the side of the head."

Kaiba glared icily back at him as he, too got to his feet and mirrored the blond's stance, using his extra height to his advantage. "Are you _threatening_ me?" he snarled, his voice harsh. "I don't _do_ ultimatums, _especially_ from low-brow, gutter-mouthed street mutts! Get the hell out of my office!"

Joey gave a contemptuous snort. "Then you're a fucking idiot. Good luck with your tourney. I hope nothing happens to tarnish your reputation, but if it does, just remember I gave you a choice." He turned to leave, and then paused, his hand on the doorknob. "By the way, Seto," he said, glancing over his shoulder and grinning like a Cheshire cat, "Your security sucks. I wasn't bullshitting you when I said that I came in here clean. But Klaus and Raymond are both still carrying. Might want to look into that." Chuckling just loud enough for the brunet to hear, he rejoined his companions in the hall, erupting into full-blown laughter when he heard Kaiba's angry roar from behind the closed doors.

* * *

At 9:15 the next morning, Joey stood watching the televised opening of the Battle City competition with a deep scowl on his face. He listened to Kaiba hype up his tournament, and the longer he stared at the smug, pompous brunet, the angrier he got. He could handle Kaiba's insults, and he even liked the sexual tension he felt between them. Hell, he could even deal with the fact that the other teen held his prized card. But, the brunet's sheer arrogance and blatant disregard for his warning set him over the edge. Amber eyes narrowed to angry slits and his lip curved up in a snarl, he threw down the remote control and grabbed his three-quarter length black leather jacket. Jamming his arms furiously into the sleeves, he called out for Klaus.

"Where are we going, Mr. Wheeler?" he enquired, hurriedly slipping on his own long trench coat.

Chuckling darkly, Joey replied, "To teach Seto Kaiba a lesson." Rounding on his heel he stormed out of his apartment, glowering sullenly as they made their way to ground level, Klaus trailing closely behind him. Once outside, he slipped on a pair of black Oakley sunglasses and took a deep, calming breath. Slowly, he let his gaze rove up and down the bustling streets, and with a nod to the large brunet, he said, "The Park." Walking purposefully, he soon arrived at his destination, his keen eye actively seeking a target. Spying a tall, gangly redhead, who looked as though a slight breeze might blow him away, he set his jaw, strode to where the young man was walking and put himself directly in his path. "Your duel disk," he demanded, holding out a hand and smiling coolly at him.

"W-what?" the teen stammered, slightly taken aback by Joey's brusque manner.

"Did I fucking _stutter_?" Joey shouted, the smile immediately gone. "I said I want your duel disk."

"But, I-I earned a slot in this tournament!" The boy looked over at Klaus and paled further. "It's not fair for you to take it."

For a moment, Joey stared curiously at the redhead, his head cocked slightly to the side as though he were processing the information. "Hn," he murmured, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I respect your integrity and your sense of honour, standing up for what you believe like that. Hell, in another time and in another place, I could almost _see_ myself fighting tooth and nail for someone like you, like it's something I might do. And, you're right, kid; you did earn your slot, and what I'm doing isn't fair. But you know what? Life's not fucking fair, is it?" His expression grew dark and, taking a couple menacing paces closer to the teen, he drew his piece. Holding it at point blank range, he hissed, "And honour? It only counts if you're willing to die for what you believe in. Are you?"

All the colour drained from the young teen's face, his blue eyes wide in terror, his body trembling. "T-take it!" he whimpered, flinching as he held out his arm. "P-please….d-don't kill me."

Holstering his gun, Joey smirked in satisfaction as he took the device from the redhead and slipped it over his own arm. He saw that the other teen had already loaded his deck, and on a whim, he pulled the cards out. Giving his wrist a slight snap, he fanned them out one-handed. The blond studied them intently for a moment and then squared them back up and moved to hand the deck to the other boy. "Your cards suck. You'd have been eliminated in the first round. You should thank me for sparing you the humiliation." He pressed the cards into the shaking, clammy hand, and murmured lowly, "Be grateful I didn't ask to duel you." His mood slightly improved, he casually stuck his hands in his pockets and headed for the pier.

His plan was to find the first available duellist and challenge them, intent on dispensing with them quickly so that he could make good on his promise from the previous night. A vindictive smirk on his lips, he very nearly laughed out loud when he saw a group of players huddled together on a bench in the distance, but before he could approach them, he heard a very familiar voice call out to him, and his blood ran cold.

"Hey, Joey!" Yugi beamed as he jogged over to where he stood, Tea right behind him. "I didn't know you were competing, too! We should duel; you know, for old time's sake?"

The blond squeezed his eyes shut, pressing his lips into a thin, tight line. In his mind, he sensed the wet, felt tip of a magic marker across the back of his hand, and when he blinked his eyes open and looked down, he half expected to see a section of `smiley face' there. "Shit." Reaching up, he slowly removed his sunglasses, his harsh, amber eyes fixed seriously on his friends. "I only duel for business, Yugi. Take my advice and walk away." When the shorter teen hesitated, and even went so far as to make a move to ask the blond to reconsider, Joey's eyes narrowed and he snarled, "God damn it, Yugi! Don't force me to do something I don't want to! Now walk away!"

Innocent, amethyst eyes went impossibly wide as Yugi nodded silently. His voice low and tremulous, he murmured, "Ok, if that's what you want, Joey. I don't know why you've pushed us all away, but we've always been here for you, waiting. Come and see us sometime, ok?" Slumping his shoulders dejectedly, he turned away from the blond and called quietly, "Come on, Tea; let's go, then."

"You bastard!" she hissed at the blond as she slapped him hard across the face. "We'd all hoped that with time, you'd go back to being the sweet person we all loved. Instead, you became _this_. Your heart is cold and your soul is ugly."

"Drop it, Tea," the blond growled warningly as he gingerly rubbed the area, holding up a hand to stay his bodyguard.

"No, Joey. If you can't see how much your actions have hurt Yugi, then you don't deserve him for a friend. Tristan would be ashamed of you!"

"Fuck _you_ , Tea!" Joey snapped as he viciously backhanded her, glaring furiously down at her when she fell to the ground clutching her wounded cheek, her eyes wide in pained disbelief. Yugi gasped in horror and tried to move to his friend's side, but Klaus blocked his path, staying him with one hand resting on his chest. "You weren't there, and you didn't feel him die in your fucking arms, so don't you fucking _dare_ tell me what Tristan would be!" Turning to Yugi, he added brusquely, "I did what I did today because we were friends." Glowering hatefully as he turned back to Tea, he seethed, "Next time, you won't be so lucky. Thank her for that." Stepping brashly around the petite form, he slipped his sunglasses back on with a muttered, "Bitch," and continued on his way, silently fuming. 

It wasn't until he'd actually reached the pier and was wending his way among the warehouses that he spied a lone duellist. The man, dressed in a long, nondescript trench coat, was furtively hiding in the shadows of an alley. As Joey drew nearer, he immediately recognized the rat-faced man as Errol Jamieson, a less-than-reputable pawnbroker whom he had been seeking for some time. Nodding wordlessly to Klaus, he watched as the large brunet doubled back to the other end of the passageway, and then he purposefully approached the anemic-looking man. "Jamieson," he hissed. "Figured I'd find a rat down here."

The grey-haired man's head snapped up, grey eyes wide in fear. "Joey," he greeted nervously. "Funny meeting you here…"

"Hn, I'm not laughing," the blond replied coldly. "You shouldn't have run, Jamieson. It only pisses me off more when I have to look for you."

Errol blanched completely before turning tail to flee, only to ricochet off of Klaus. Jerkily, he turned back to Joey and stammered, "W-what do you want?"

"You've been skimming off the top. It probably would have gone undetected if you hadn't forgotten to give us the fake ledger last time. Rookie mistake." He grinned maliciously when he saw the sweat break out on the older man's brow, and as he removed his sunglasses and set them in his pocket, he said, "Tell you what. You're a duellist, I'm a duellist…How about we play for your life?" His grin widened as he powered up his duel disk and shuffled his deck. Cutting the cards one-handed, he squared them up and loaded them into   
the slot. "Well?"

The other man gasped in terror as Klaus drew his Glock and, standing behind the pawnbroker, cocked the weapon and held it to his head. "Oh God," he whispered shakily as he, too, powered up his disk. "I'm going to die…"

"Hm, probably," Joey agreed congenially as he drew his five cards. "But, if you beat me, I'll call us even; wipe the slate clean." He paused, and then said, "You can go first."

"Draw," Klaus rumbled in his ear, prodding him none-too-gently with the barrel of his pistol.

* * *

Five minutes later, Errol was shaking, his breath shuddering as tears of panic ran down his cheeks. Joey had his Thousand Dragon on the field, and had just cast Raigeki, effectively destroying all the monsters the elder man had had in play. He was down to his last five hundred life points while the blond sat at a comfortable forty-five hundred. He tried to moisten his lips as he looked across the field at the blond. He was lucky he'd lasted this long…he kept making amateur mistakes, and it was costing him. Then again, he found it was hard to play his A-game with a gun to his head. Glancing slightly to his left, he cringed when he caught sight of Klaus in his peripheral vision and heard the low rumble of laughter as the larger man leaned over to peer at his hand. He had no useable cards and, his fingers trembling, he made his draw. As he looked at the card, a wave of relief flooded through him and he laughed hysterically. Quickly slapping down the magic card, he declared, "I play `Monster Reborn' and bring back my Summoned Skull in attack mode." As soon as the monster was on the field, he heard Joey laugh.

"Sorry, Jamieson," the blond smirked, his tone anything but apologetic. He revealed his `Dark Hole' magic card, and watched with obvious humour as every monster was sucked through the vortex and into the graveyard. "What else do you have?"

"I-I have nothing left…"

"And you have nothing to defend you, either." With a flourish, Joey drew his card, making a show of examining it before laughing riotously. He thoroughly enjoyed showboating, particularly if it served to further intimidate. A devious grin on his face, the blond slowly turned his card around. The grin widened when Errol's mouth dropped open, his eyes registering his defeat. Holding the `Final Flame' spell card smugly between his index and middle finger, he laid it down. As six hundred life points were subtracted from the elder man's total, bringing him to an emphatic zero, Joey murmured, "You lose." Suddenly deadly serious, he flicked his gaze to Klaus and ordered, "Drop him." Before Jamieson could even flinch, Klaus pulled the trigger, effectively spraying blood, bone and brains all over the side of the building. 

The blond grimaced as he distastefully flicked a piece of what had been Errol Jamieson off his coat. "I should thank Seto," he said as he pulled out his cell phone and dialled the brunet's office. "I killed two birds with one stone." Chuckling, he waited for the line to be answered, immediately identifying himself to the young secretary. He shuddered in delight when the call was put right through. He knew that he was on Kaiba's `do not refuse' list, just as the stoic brunet was on his. A spark ignited in his amber eyes when he heard the deep tenor, and he purred, "You should have given me what I wanted, Seto. You're now one duellist short."

"I don't believe you," came the clipped reply. "You've never taken out the innocent."

"Then you don't know me as well as you think. There _are_ no innocents, just those who stay out of my way and don't piss me off. You can stop this, Seto. Even though you won't admit it, you know damned well that I'm good enough to go all the way in your tourney. Eventually, I _am_ going to face you," Joey stated conversationally as he cradled the phone against his ear and briefly examined his fingernails. "Lucky for you, the guy I duelled was a piece of shit nobody that we've been trying to find for a long time. Nobody's going to give a damn about him anyway. Now, quit being so stubborn, or you're not going to have any finalists except for me."

"You're an idiot."

The blond sighed heavily. "And you have two hours. Be careful, Seto…the streets aren't safe." Ending the call, he moved over to where Klaus was crouched down and examining Jamieson's cards.

"Here," the large man said as he handed one in particular over to the blond. 

Joey gasped softly when he saw it. "Red Eyes?" he breathed, tracing his hand reverently over the image. "Where the _hell_ did a piece of shit like _Jamieson_ get a Red Eyes?" he demanded, kicking the dead man's side for emphasis. "Wait a minute…" He scowled as he ran his fingers along the edge of the card, pulling out one of his own and doing the same thing. "Fucking _hell_!" he muttered as he took the card and irritably tore it in half. "It's a God damned forgery!" Crouching down beside the beefy brunet, Joey quickly skimmed through the cards. "Jesus Christ, anything he had that was good was a fake!" Gathering them up, he squared the pile and handed it to Klaus. "Very _good_ fakes, I might add. Find out who's running this little side-business. Whoever it is, make sure they learn the importance of sharing."

The brunet nodded respectfully and, after Klaus had escorted him back to his apartment, he had promptly headed off to do some investigating while Joey went upstairs to have a snack and wait to see what Kaiba's next move would be. Just before 1:00, Raymond came in to tell him that Seto Kaiba was here and asking to see him. The blond gave his bodyguard a brilliant smile and told him to show him up immediately. He had to admit, he was surprised. After his telephone conversation, he really hadn't expected the brunet to come and see him, but nonetheless, he was pleased. He heard his front door open, and when he turned around, he saw Kaiba storm angrily into the living room, his eyes blazing with untempered fury, his mouth set in a ruthless, unforgiving scowl. As Raymond moved to close the door, Joey crossed the gleaming tile floor to where he stood, a friendly, somewhat flirtatious, greeting on his lips. 

He didn't even make the first syllable before a hard right hook connected with his jaw.


	3. Chapter Three

Raymond was on Kaiba before Joey hit the floor.

The brunet didn't struggle; he didn't even try to escape. He just stood impassively, glowering at the blond at his feet.

"Raymond, let him go," Joey mumbled as he licked his bottom lip, and then sucked in the trickle of blood, wiping the rest away with the back of his hand. When the raven-haired man hesitated, the blond narrowed his eyes and raised his voice. "I _said_ , let him go." As his bodyguard released his hold, Joey slowly got to his feet, giving his head a small shake. Turning his attention to the still-fuming brunet, he met the deadly sapphire gaze with an equally venomous one of his own. "What the _fuck_ is wrong with you?" he demanded. "You come into _my_ house and, without even showing a _little_ bit of good manners, you fucking _hit_ me? God _damn_ it, my patience with you is wearing thin! Fucking hell…" He gingerly rubbed his jaw and, though his glare was still furious, he smirked darkly. "You're lucky I like you, Kaiba. Do you know how fucking lucky you are to still be upright and conscious?"

"I always knew you were unscrupulous," Kaiba spat, ignoring the blond completely, "But I didn't think even _you'd_ stoop so low. And for what? To prove a point? _Fine_." He retrieved the attaché case he'd dropped earlier in the foyer and tossed it unceremoniously onto the coffee table. "There you go. Fifty million. Now give him back."

"Kaiba, what the _hell_ are you talking about? Give who back?"

The brunet let out a humourless bark of laughter. "Come off it, Wheeler," he sneered. "How stupid do you think I am? You call me, you threaten me, and not _half an hour later_ , I come to find that Mokuba's been kidnapped and that there's a fifty million dollar ransom on his head. That's a little suspect, don't you think?"

"Someone took the kid?" Joey asked incredulously, his anger immediately flaring. Everyone in the syndicate _knew_ he had forbidden anyone to even _approach_ the Kaibas without his permission. If someone was acting on his own, there would be hell to pay. 

"Damn it; cut the clueless routine. I'm not some drooling retard who's going to fall for that line of shit! I paid you; now give me back my brother."

"Seto, I'm giving you my word. I didn't do it. It has to be someone new; no one on my payroll would dare." He smirked lecherously as he met the other's gaze. "Not if they know what's good for them, anyway." 

"You're a liar."

"And you're an idiot for not coming to me sooner." His smirk widened at the brunet's affronted look. "I trust _you_ , Seto; the least you can do is show me the same courtesy." 

"And why should I trust you?" the brunet hissed, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

"Have I ever given you a reason not to?" the blond demanded, amber eyes narrowed in challenge.

Kaiba pondered this for a moment. "No," he admitted grudgingly.

"No," Joey repeated cockily. Loosing an amused snort, he continued, "So, rather than calling me and asking for my help, you decide instead to come in here, guns blazing, like some one-man strike force? Jesus, and you call _me_ impulsive." 

Giving the blond a non-committal shrug, he contemplated Joey's words as he regarded him seriously for a moment. "It seems to work well enough for you. I figured it couldn't hurt. And it definitely got your attention."

Joey chuckled softly as he stood up and went to the kitchen. He retrieved two bottles of water, handing one to the brunet as he passed. He held the cool plastic against his jaw for a moment, and giving the other teen a dark smirk, he said, "Yeah. That one was a freebie. Next time, I'll kick your ass."

"You can try," Kaiba replied smugly as he took a sip of his water.

"Hn…You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Joey purred as he absently traced around the rim of his bottle with his index finger.

"Don't flatter yourself," the brunet replied with a smirk as he set his bottle on the coffee table. "Then if it wasn't you, I need to get my people working to find Mokuba."

Eyes sparkling mischievously, the blond said pertly, "Yeah, because we both know how thorough your people are." Spying the irritated glint in the other teen's eye, Joey laughed outright and wheedled, "Seto, look. I can get things done faster than you can, and definitely faster than the cops. Give me twenty-four hours. Tops. If I haven't figured out who's responsible, then I'll back off and you can do whatever the hell you want to."

"What do you care? This isn't going to advance your empire…what's in it for you?"

"Personal interest," the blond replied, giving him a dark smile.

The brunet scowled, but Joey could see in his eyes that he was considering the offer. "Fine," he replied after a moment, his voice clipped. "However, I expect to be kept informed of your progress."

The blond frowned. "You make it sound like you're leaving."

"I _am_ ," Kaiba replied emphatically. "I have better things to do than hang around in the company of some street mutt and his band of thugs."

Joey glared dourly at him as he lowered himself into a chair and propped his feet up on the coffee table, crossing them at the ankles. "Right, I forgot that you're such a fucking saint." Slowly, his face morphed into a nasty smirk as he said, "You really should stay here, though. If I let you go, you'll probably be dead before you get ten feet." This time, his jab earned him a warning growl from the brunet, and he sniggered delightedly. "Seriously Seto, they're going to be after you."

Kaiba snorted contemptuously. "And what makes you say that?"

Joey's smirk widened as he gave an offhanded shrug. " _I_ would be. Both you and Mokuba are a pretty tempting prize. And, given your charming attitude and winning personality, I'd imagine there are quite a few people willing to part with a lot of money to make you suffer." He slid his feet over and rested them on top of the attaché case. "This right here? This is just the tip of the iceberg."

"You're so full of shit," Kaiba growled as he irritably swatted the blond's feet off the leather case and picked it up. "See you around." When he reached the entranceway, he found his path blocked by the large form of Raymond. "Wheeler, tell your oaf to get out of my way," he demanded, staring defiantly up at the raven-haired man.

"Seto, you're just too damned stubborn to accept my help, and you sure as hell don't listen to reason," the blond said quietly as he got to his feet and pulled a small pistol from the centre drawer of the credenza. Levelling it at the brunet, he stated calmly, "If you won't stay willingly, then, for your own good, I'm afraid I'm going to have to insist." He pulled the trigger, and two small darts shot forward from the weapon, immediately sending a high-voltage pulse through the brunet's body.

Kaiba screamed in agony, and then dropped like a stone.

With Raymond's help, he got the disoriented teen to his feet. Somehow, they managed to keep him upright while they removed Kaiba's trench coat, and then they led him to Joey's room, and carefully laid him on the bed. While the raven-haired bodyguard gave the brunet a thorough pat down and relieved him of his cell phone, Joey snapped one end of a pair of handcuffs around Kaiba's wrist and secured the other end to the heavy oak bed frame. The blond sighed heavily as he stood up and gazed deeply into the dark, slightly unfocused sapphire eyes. "I don't know why I put up with you; why I even give a damn about what happens to you. But, I can't bring myself to get rid of you." After tossing his jacket and gun onto a nearby chair, he retrieved Kaiba's bottle of water and some aspirin, set them on the nightstand beside the bed, and then sat on the edge of the mattress, intently watching. When he had first tested his new toy out on Klaus, the large man had only been out of it for a few minutes. Kaiba, being considerably smaller bulk-wise, would probably need a little longer.

Turning to Raymond, Joey said, "Contact Klaus and tell him what's happened; I'm wondering if this business with the Kaibas is at all related to our earlier discovery. I want to know _immediately_ if anyone finds anything." He felt a small shift on the bed, and as he looked at his guest, he narrowed his eyes and hissed, "And I want those responsible to pay." The raven-haired man nodded in understanding and turned to leave. Before he pulled the door closed, the blond called to him, "Oh, one more thing. Make sure that money of Seto's gets taken care of." A decidedly shark-like grin crossed his lips as he murmured, "Whether he meant to or not, he and I are square."

Once alone with the brunet, Joey allowed his eyes to drift closed for a moment, breathing slowly and deeply. For some reason, Kaiba served as some sort of mental ground for his anger, tempering his wrath into something manageable, something which permitted him to maintain a tenuous grasp on the world around him. Granted, Kaiba could still annoy him to the point where he'd go off in a blind fury. And when that happened, although his words would still be harsh and his actions cruel, he felt in control of himself and not prone to the deep-seeded, irrational behaviour he frequently displayed. As strange as it was, Kaiba relaxed him.

A pained moan from behind him drew his attention back to the brunet. Joey watched with mild interest as the fog slowly lifted from Kaiba's eyes and, when the sapphire gaze flicked over to him and he saw first recognition, and then fury, the blond gracefully moved himself out of swatting distance. "Welcome back," he purred softly, a coquettish smile on his lips.

Seeing red, the brunet tried to lunge for Joey, only to be snapped back when he reached the limit of movement provided by the handcuff. Momentarily surprised, he glanced back at the sturdy, steel bracelet and then, his anger surging tenfold, he struggled viciously to escape his bonds. Unable to snap the chain, he tried instead to break the headboard, finding the result equally futile. And, when after a few minutes the only thing he had to show for his efforts was a bruised and chafed wrist, he sank back against the pillow, glaring daggers at the blond. "You have exactly two seconds to let me go, or I will make it my personal mission to bring you down," he growled warningly.

"You're really not in a position to negotiate, Seto," Joey replied smugly. "Your little conniption fit just proved that." His eyes slowly roved over the lithe form before him and he purred appreciatively. "I really am sorry for shocking you like that, but honestly, it was for your own protection." Chuckling in amusement he added, "Besides, it wouldn't be nearly as much fun around here without you to annoy."

"Yes, how altruistic of you. My hero…saving me from the wicked underworld by electrocuting me with fifty thousand volts," he jeered, shifting slightly under the blond's licentious gaze, a slight grimace flittering across his features.

"Yeah, I figured you'd have a headache," Joey replied, his keen eyesight picking up on the brunet's discomfort. "Klaus said his head hurt like a bitch when he came to, so…" He trailed off, nodding toward the nightstand. When Kaiba remained obstinately impassive, the blond rolled his eyes and said, "Fuck Seto, I'm not going to think any less of you if you take a fucking aspirin. If you don't want it, fine; I don't give a shit. The only one you're hurting is yourself."

After a few moments, the brunet grudgingly leaned over and took the water and the pills from the small table. As he swallowed a couple of capsules, he noticed that the blond had settled himself on the edge of the bed beside him. With lightning-quick reflexes, he seized one of Joey's wrists and as he applied pressure to the joint, he demanded, "Give me the key to these handcuffs."

"Sorry, Seto," Joey all but purred, a dark smile crossing his face and his amber eyes gleaming in pleasure at the pain. "I don't have it. I figured you'd try something like this, so Raymond is hanging on to it for me."

"You're a God damned _liar_!" Kaiba hissed, emphasizing his point by wrenching harder on Joey's hand.

Despite his small wince, the blond chuckled sensually as he felt a flood of arousal course through him. "Hn…I love it when you play rough," he drawled, his eyes burning with desire. Never before had he permitted things between himself and the brunet to escalate this far. Chuckling again, he continued, "I may be a lot of things, Seto, but I've never lied to you. Not once." He turned so he was facing more toward the other and murmured, "So…are you going to let me go, or do we continue this?" When Kaiba simply deepened his scowl, Joey's grin widened. " _Perfect_." With cat-like agility, he yanked his hand free, simultaneously grabbing both of Kaiba's wrists and pinning them over his head. Slowly, he straddled the brunet's chest, leaning his weight forward to further immobilize the other teen. His eyes sinking closed, he took in a deep, shuddering breath, and then slitted his eyes open to smirk lewdly at the other.

Kaiba froze when he felt the other teen's weight settle upon him, his traitorous body immediately telling him _exactly_ what it thought of his current position. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" he demanded, already _quite_ certain he knew the answer to his question.

"Come on, Seto," Joey drawled. "I've always liked you. I think that maybe you like me a little bit, too." He leaned forward slightly, pressing down harder on the brunet's wrists and staring into the slightly confused sapphire depths beneath him. "Besides, it's not every day I have you in my bed and at my mercy."

Kaiba struggled, trying to shake the blond off of him, but Joey's grip was solid. "Get off of me!" he ordered. "I'm not interested in you!"

"Right Seto," Joey laughed. "And I'm up for `Humanitarian of the Year', too!" Suddenly serious, he locked gazes with the brunet and leaned down, softly pressing his mouth against the other teen's. For a moment, he felt Kaiba tense, and then the brunet responded, his supple lips moving expertly with the blond's before a hot, wet tongue forced its way into his mouth, greedily exploring every dip and surface. Joey mewled in pleasure as his eyes slipped closed, his own tongue duelling with Kaiba's, another surge of pleasure coursing through him at the brunet's taste. Slowly, he released his hold, his hands sliding down Kaiba's arms to tangle in the soft, auburn tresses.

Kaiba, too, let his eyes slide closed as Joey brought the kiss back to his mouth. He felt the blond's hands twine in his hair, and he moved to stroke his hands along the well-toned back before him. As soon as he felt the restricting tug of the handcuff, his eyes blinked open and, remembering where he was and under what circumstances, he narrowed his gaze and angrily backhanded the blond off of him, knocking him to the floor. "I told you I wasn't interested!" he spat as he wiped his mouth with the back of his free hand.

Amber eyes flashed furiously as Joey hurriedly got back to his feet, his lips pressed into a thin, callous scowl. "And you shouldn't have fucking done that," the blond growled lowly as he grabbed his pistol and chambered a round. Levelling it at the brunet, he murmured, "I _told_ you the next time you hit me, I would kick your ass. Kiss yours goodbye." A sadistic smile curved his lips upward when he saw the panic break through the normally impassive mask. "Hn…Seto `I-fear-nothing' Kaiba…so fucking arrogant…not so much now." As he rested his finger on the trigger and clicked off the safety, he hesitated. His grin slowly fading, he realized that this was the first time he had ever faltered, ever stopped to think. For him, the kill was always quick and clean – almost orgasmic. Fear settled in his own eyes as he felt his euphoria slipping away from him, his body starting to tremble, the gun shaking in his hand. After a moment, he slowly released the hammer and dropped his arm. "Fuck me, I can't do it. I can't fucking do it." Without another word, he turned on his heel and left the room, leaving the brunet alone with his thoughts and, miraculously, his life.

Glowering, Joey returned to the living room in an attempt to reign in his temper, and ordered Raymond to get out of his sight until Klaus came back with something to report. It was shortly before midnight when the large brunet finally returned. As he entered the apartment, he stood silently just inside the blond's line of vision and waited to be acknowledged. After a moment, Joey set down the novel he had been reading and snapped curtly, "Well?"

Klaus lowered his gaze and replied dutifully, "I know who was responsible, and they have been dealt with. You were correct, Sir; both incidents were related."

"And where's Mokuba? I thought you'd have brought him back here to see his brother."

At this, the bodyguard lifted his head and met Joey's hard stare. His uneasiness was apparent in his pale, violet eyes, and he slowly shook his head.

The blond nodded in understanding, his jaw clenched tightly, a wave of hatred for his unknown enemy surging through his body. "Go get Raymond, and then you'll tell me everything."

* * *

Kaiba, who had for the time being, opted to accept the blond's `hospitality', opened his eyes when he heard Joey come into the room. "Did you come back to kiss me or to kill me?" he quipped snottily as he eyed the other teen pointedly. 

"Neither, Seto," Joey replied frigidly as he tossed the handcuff key to the brunet. "I'm here to talk."

As much as he hated it, Kaiba relaxed somewhat on hearing the blond refer to him by name. Despite the obvious anger in his voice, Joey was not quite so volatile anymore. Quickly, the brunet freed himself from his restraint, rubbing his numb wrist in relief. He set the key on the nightstand and levelled his gaze at the other. "So, talk."

"I'd rather tell you on the way."

Sapphire eyes narrowed warily as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and got to his feet. "On the way to _where_?"

Joey didn't reply. He led Kaiba to the foyer where Raymond and Klaus were waiting for them and, after giving the brunet back his cell phone and trench coat, the four took the elevator to the ground floor. Once outside, Raymond held the limo door open for his employer, and as Joey slid onto the seat, he beckoned to the brunet.

Impatiently, Kaiba climbed into the blond's car and waited while Joey and his bodyguards spoke hurriedly about some warehouse they needed to visit. He knew it was futile to ask again where they were going; only because Joey, like him, would only address him when he was prepared to, and not a moment before. Finally, the blond's attention returned to him, and he arched an inquisitive eyebrow. "Well?"

Joey's scowl faded slightly as he leaned back in his seat and neatly crossed his legs. "I told you earlier that my people would get you your name," he began, a slightly satisfied smirk tugging at the corners of his lips when he heard the brunet's impressed grunt. "It turns out that a new faction calling itself `Death Flame' has moved into the area." Joey gave a snort of disgust as he rolled his eyes. "Fucking punks and their stupid names; guess they think that if they sound bad, they _are_ bad. Losers." He picked a piece of lint off of his trousers and sighed. "Anyway, these idiots figured they could override the hierarchy and jump right to the top with a couple of big-time schemes. The first one was to set up a counterfeit card racket, and they were using that waste of skin Jamieson as their front man; fortunately, he was a greedy son of a bitch and kept everything for himself. Here, take a look." He pulled a card from his pocket and handed it face-down to the brunet, grinning impishly at Kaiba's surprised gasp. "Relax, Seto," he murmured when he saw the sapphire eyes staring unblinkingly at the Blue Eyes White Dragon in his hand. "The streets aren't suddenly going to be flooded with illegal cards; despite the amount of money it would generate, I can't stand cheaters."

"So there _is_ honour among thieves; how noble."

"Fuck you, Seto," Joey retorted. "Just because my `associates' don't sit in a boardroom and wear two thousand dollar suits, you don't have the right to act like you're the moral one here. If I _hadn't_ had Klaus shut this down, you'd probably be facing off against some little bastard with his own Blue Eyes." He leaned forward, took the card from him and tore it in half, ignoring the strangled squawk from the other teen. "They were first rate, but not perfect; the cards were a little too thick, not quite flexible enough…" Joey caught the brunet's enquiring look and he waggled his fingers in front of him. "I'm very tactile…it's useful," he replied with a shrug, his expression once again turning grave. "Anyway, these guys needed money for their operation, so one of them came up with the brilliant idea of kidnapping your brother – I guess you pissed in their Cheerios at one point, and they figured you'd be an easy score. From what I understand, they're amazing with a computer, but when it comes to anything practical, they're like a bunch of retards." He felt the car pull to a stop, and as he glanced out the window, he gave a small shudder. The rundown warehouse looked just as evil as it had the night Tristan had been killed, and Joey couldn't help the morbid amusement he felt at the irony of the whole situation. 

"Is Mokuba here?" Kaiba asked. "Or is there some other reason you brought me to this shit hole?"

"Yes, but before you go in, I need to tell you –" Before he could finish his statement, Kaiba had slipped out of the car and was striding purposefully toward the warehouse, anxiously calling for his brother. "Seto! Wait!" he called after him, only to be summarily ignored. "Oh fuck, this isn't going to be good," the blond murmured as he, too, climbed from the car, Klaus and Raymond on his heels. Just outside the doors, Joey heard an enraged snarl, and he stepped up the pace. 

Entering the building, the blond cringed, his heart hammering in his chest as he listened for the sound of the hoist's squeaky wheel and looked around for Hirutani. After a moment, he realized neither was going to appear and instead, he saw Kaiba standing alongside the main wall, just inside the doors. He was looking down at the body of his younger brother, his eyes hard and furious, his lips pressed into a thin line, his entire body trembling with barely-restrained rage. Slowly, Joey approached the brunet, and before he could say anything more, he heard him growl lowly, dangerously, "Explain."

"I was trying to tell you; they didn't know what they were doing. They nabbed the kid when he was making his rounds as Tournament Commissioner or whatever the fuck it was you had him doing. They used chloroform on him, way more than they needed, and the kid was completely out of it. When they threw him in the trunk of their car, which was full of all kinds of shit, they didn't notice that he'd fallen onto his face and was laying against a piece of laminating plastic they had picked up for their cards. He couldn't breathe, Seto, and by the time they got here, he was already gone."

"And you know this _how_?" Kaiba finally took his gaze off the fallen form of his brother and stared hatefully into the blond's eyes.

"Klaus and his team. Before they killed those responsible, they found out everything they could. There's still one at large, but he won't get far."

"So, my brother, my only _family_ , is dead because of a group of incompetent fuck-ups that were looking to impress _you_. Is _that_ what you're telling me?" the brunet spat, his eyes narrowing coldly. When the blond didn't immediately reply, Kaiba charged him and grabbed his pistol, holding it point blank to Joey's temple. "Answer me, you worthless street mutt!" he shouted savagely, only vaguely aware that Raymond and Klaus now had their weapons trained on him.

"I can take the shot, Mr. Wheeler," Klaus stated calmly, while Raymond also confirmed his target.

"No," the blond replied evenly, his hands held up in front of him in a gesture of surrender. "Seto, stop it. You know that this won't end well for one of us…maybe both of us."

"Do you think at this point I really _care_?" Kaiba demanded, his eyes blazing with apoplectic rage. "Vengeance for this was supposed to have been mine! You may not have done the deed, but if it wasn't for you, this wouldn't have happened _at all_!" His voice dripping with venom, the brunet hissed, "This is all _your_ fault, Wheeler!"

Joey gasped, his eyes growing impossibly wide as time, for him, seemed to stand still. He felt as though he had just had the life slapped out of him as his body went completely numb. In his memory, he saw Mrs. Taylor's face, looking much the same as Kaiba's was right now, spitting the exact same phrase at him. "Tristan," he murmured as his amber eyes welled with tears, just as they had that day, his expression haunted as in his mind he once again relived the atrocity he had witnessed in agonizing detail. He glanced at the spot where his best friend had died in his arms, and a single tear betrayed him by hurriedly running down his cheek and splashing onto the lapel of his jacket. Dropping both his hands and his gaze, he sighed heavily. The blond's voice was barely audible as he murmured lowly, "You're right, Seto. It _is_ my fault, and now it's over. Kill me if you want to; I really don't give a shit any more." He raised his head and, for the first time ever, he dropped his hardened façade and permitted the brunet to see for himself just how deeply his pain ran. The blond's lower lip quivered slightly as he gave Kaiba a small, tremulous smile. "Sometimes, I can see myself in a different life – it sounds crazy, but it seems so real. I have friends, I go to school; fuck, I'm just a regular, nobody teenager doing stupid shit like going to the arcade and running on the track team. You're there, too…and just like here, I'm still nothing to you." He loosed a humourless bark of laughter. "Can you fucking believe it? Even in my fantasies, I'm not happy. But here?" Joey swallowed harshly and when he blinked, another two tears leaked down his cheeks. "Here, I'm fucking miserable. Do your civic duty and end this street mutt's suffering." He allowed his eyes to slide closed, and when he opened them again, the impassive mask was back in place. Turning to his bodyguards, Joey said quietly, "Seto walks out of here untouched and stays that way. Understand?" He watched the two men look uncertainly at each other for a moment, and only after they had reluctantly holstered their weapons did he turn back to the brunet.

"No," Kaiba said finally, his voice still clipped but without the hard edge. "I can't kill you any more than you can kill me, Wheeler. And, as much as I _want_ to blame you for this, I can't do that, either." He rolled his eyes in frustration and exhaled heavily. "Fucking unbelievable!" He pulled out his cell phone and glanced over at Joey. "I'm calling the police to come and deal with this. I'd strongly suggest you disappear unless you want to become a suspect." Crouching down, he gently ran his fingers through his brother's silky, raven-coloured tresses as he spoke with the officer working dispatch, and then called his own driver to come and pick him up. When he stood up again, he turned to the blond and said, "You did what you said you would. And you found Mokuba." It was the closest thing to `thank you' that Kaiba would give.

Joey nodded and turned to leave, frowning when he heard the warehouse door bang closed. "Unless you want to become a small story in tomorrow's newspaper, beat it," he quipped curtly to the short, twitchy, blond man he saw standing there. When the man didn't make any effort to move, Joey arched a brow and signalled to Raymond to get rid of him. 

"I tried to run, but I can't go anywhere in this God damned town without being seen!" Before any of them could react, the man drew a gun and pointed it nervously at Seto, his eyes wild. Slurring slightly, he rasped, "I messed up with the kid, I admit it, and if I'm going down for this, I'm taking out the `untouchable' big brother." 

The unknown blond managed to squeeze off four shots before Raymond and Klaus turned and unloaded into him. Joey, acting solely on instinct, tried to push Kaiba and himself out of harm's way. Unfortunately, his reflexes were not quite quick enough and he took one shot in between his shoulder blades, the other to his kidney.

" _Christ_!" Joey groaned as he tumbled to the ground, gritting his teeth against the searing pain. He tried to get up, but it felt like his body had suddenly turned to lead, and he fell back against the concrete.

Raymond and Klaus were immediately at their employer's side, staring worriedly down at the blond. But, before either could say or do anything, Kaiba roughly shoved his cell phone into Klaus's hand. 

"Call an ambulance. Now!" the brunet barked as he knelt down beside the wounded blond. He could see that Joey was having trouble breathing, and he gently lifted his head onto his lap. "Idiot!" Kaiba growled at him. "What the hell did you do that for?"

The blond gazed up into the dark, sapphire eyes, his own slightly glazed and unfocused. A small smile curved across his lips as he whispered quietly, "You're welcome. I told you, I like you, Seto. That's one thing that's never changed." He let his eyes drift closed, concentrating on keeping his breathing slow and even. After a few minutes, he heard the sound of approaching sirens, and the next thing he knew, he could feel himself being placed on a gurney as the EMT's talked in hushed voices around him. Joey felt the slight prick in his arm as an IV was started, and just before he faded out of consciousness, he could swear he felt a gentle hand sift through his hair and a low, sexy tenor murmur in his ear, "Funny thing is, Mutt…I like you, too."

* * *

I think Newton had it right when he suggested that `for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction'. I know he was talking about physics, but it's bullshit to think it doesn't have other applications. His theory also applies to our lives and to the choices we make. We just call it `consequences'. And, no matter how carefully you plan things out, no matter how much thought you give to your actions, there's always going to be something – that one, tiny, unexpected consequence – to push back and totally fuck you up. The bagpipes finish playing, and I turn my attention back to the present.

I listen as the minister finishes up with his sermon, and I can't help it; I start to laugh. I never was one for religion and shit, and as I listen to him go on about how I'm going to find salvation in heaven, I think that's the ultimate irony. I was so far from salvation when I was alive, that it's foolish to think I'll find it now. I glance around and note that not a lot of people showed up. I see Klaus and Raymond, and to my surprise, Tea and Yugi are there. And, off to the side, looking like he's being seriously inconvenienced, is Seto. I guess he figures he owes me or something. The minister finishes his thing and the group breaks up. Kaiba kind of hangs around until after everyone's left. Finally, he approaches my grave and, for a while, he just stands there and looks down at it.

"Just thought you'd like to know, Yugi won the Battle City competition. Of course, I blame you for my defeat." He gives this wry chuckle, and dropping his voice, as if to let me in on some super-secret joke, he adds, "Let's just say that my mind wasn't really on the game."

I have to laugh. I'd have probably come up with the same excuse. I mean, obviously Yugi was able to focus enough on the business at hand, right? Then again, he and I were never really that tight, especially given recent events. I'm betting that on some level, he really wasn't that broken up to see me go. Hell, he never even came to visit me in the hospital for those three days I was on life support. Seto on the other hand… I watch as he continues to stare, his eyes just a little colder than I remember them being. Seto was there. I can vaguely remember hearing his voice, but I'll be damned if I can remember what he was talking to me about.

He clenches his hands into fists, and as he exhales heavily, he slowly uncurls them. "You really are a stupid Mutt," he says softly. Prick. Ever hear of respect for the dead? "Although, I did take your advice, and I hired some better security; Raymond and Klaus work for me now." He glanced briefly up at the sky before continuing. "Jesus, only _you_ are brash enough to throw yourself in front of a bullet – and for _me_ , no less. But, I suppose that if the situation were reversed, I'd have done the same for you. After all, protecting what we value is human nature, ne?" He trails off, and gives this small, amused snort. "No one has seen your father since you went into the hospital, and no one else was willing to come forward to handle your `estate', so I took care of it. I gave myself fifty million dollars for my trouble. Hope you don't mind; tough shit if you do." His lips curved up in a small smirk. Touché, Seto. "Mokuba's service was last Tuesday. I'm glad that both didn't happen on the same day. Although, I think you got the better deal – it's not raining today. I know that the service sucked, but I figured you're like me and wouldn't want a bunch of people around pretending to mourn, consoling each other in false sympathy. But, now that they're all gone, here…" He reaches into his coat and pulls out two bunches of flowers, each tied with a white ribbon. "One is from Mokuba and one is from me. The sweet pea says goodbye, and the heliotrope means devotion." With another small chuckle, he drops them onto the coffin. "You've got all of eternity to figure out which is from whom. See you around, Joey…maybe."

He turns to leave, pulling out his cell phone as he does so. I can see his eyes are glassy even before I hear the slight tremor in his voice as he tells his driver his business here is concluded. Well, damn, if _that_ isn't a kick! I'd always suspected, but the cold-hearted bastard really did care all along – guess now I know for sure…and damn, if it's not about a week too late. Even though I know he can't see me, I wave good bye to him as he heads for his car, and when I can no longer see the taillights, I go and look at the flowers. A bittersweet smile breaks out across my face when I see the crumpled and slightly bruised blossoms on the heliotrope. My eyes tear up and as I rub them, I curse the stupid pollen in the air and my uncontrollable allergies. Yeah Seto, I'm sure I'll be seeing you around.


End file.
